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2008 Vintage
Release date: February 2010. The Spring shipments are scheduled for April. Fall shipments are scheduled for
October and November.
The 2008 Vintage includes:
Mays Canyon 2008, Russian River Chardonnay
Aromas of orange zest, lime, honeydew melon, passion
fruit, white rose, candlewax, honeysuckle and acacia blossom with hints of custard and confectionary elements. This wine
has a full lush palate and yet yields to lovely acidity on the finish and dances on the tongue. This has the richest palate
of the 2008 vineyard designated bottling and is the most approachable now. Peacock’s tail.
Charles Heintz Vineyard 2008, Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
Lime zest, Meyer lemon, kumquat, orange blossom,
quince, jasmine, wax bean, nutmeg, honey and subtle lactic notes. Intense acidity, great balance and a long lingering clean
finish. Although the new wood percentage is virtually the same in all the wines, this is the only one showing modest oak
influence now. Finely etched.
Thieriot Vineyard 2008, Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
Toasted almonds and hazelnuts, exotic spices,
lemon verbena, hard white candies, fennel, fern leaf, flint, white peach. Concentrated and vibrant wine which will require
patience to really show. It is wound tight like a spring for now. Excellent acidity and length. Refreshing.
The Tributary 2008, Estate Bottled Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
White peach, beeswax, river rocks, green bean, cheese rind, fresh vanilla bean, grilled nuts, citrus and honey, menthol, mint.
This wine is aromatically very expressive now and has a lean and intense palate. Mouth watering acidity on the finish.
Patience will be a virtue with this bottling.
Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2008
Not surprisingly, this wine shares many of the aromatic tones of the parent wines. Wonderfully aromatic and complex with notes of
granny smith apples, lime, jasmine ,orange zest, pear and exotic spices as well as grilled hazelnuts. The higher pH of this wine
lends it a richer palate than any of the below and pushes it more in the direction of Meursault (if we are allowed to say that) yet
the acidity is not lacking. A great drink for the years ahead but rewarding sooner than the below.
Lemon's Folly 2009, Estate Bottled Sonoma Coast White Wine
For many years, we searched for a companion variety for the Gewürtzramminer and Sauvignon Blanc in this field blend.
We have always had a soft spot in our hearts for the noble Chenin Blancs of the Loire Valley. Those wines have tremendous
acidity, great minerality and an ability to age for a very long time. Alas, the only Chenin Blanc clones available in
the U.S. were high yielding selections designed for mass produced, Central Valley plonk. Finally, last year, an
introduction of a very fine clone from the Loire was released in the U.S. We immediately secured some of this first release
and grafted over approximately 5% of Lemon’s Folly to it. In 2009 we kept the first production separate and it has
surpassed our hopes. The acidity is bracingly high and the aromas are of lime, wax and lemon grass.
The varietal blend is 92% Gewürtztraminer, 5% Chenin Blanc and 3% Sauvignon Blanc. The result is a lovely Lemon’s Folly
indeed. There is great aromatic intensity of lemon zest, lemon grass, fresh fig, ginger, spices and earth tones.
The wine has a silky and rich texture without being cloyingly sweet and the acidity is lively, adding length and
complexity to the finish of the wine. The final alcohol is a very modest 12.8% with a slightly lower residual sugar
than the 2008: 25 grams/liter.
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2007
Both this and the Les Larmes Anderson Valley Pinot Noir have benefitted from the additional year of bottle aging.
The Sonoma Coast combines great spice intensity in the aromatics and woodsy, forest floor aromas with moderate tannins
and good sweetness. This wine is more linear than Les Larmes and more elegant. It will be delightful for the next
few years.
Les Larmes Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2007
The Les Larmes is more fruit driven than the Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, with darker tones of blackberry and plum and a more supple
mid palate. This may make it more appealing to New World palates. Having said this, the wine has plenty of tannic
structure to balance the richness. The comparison between these two wines is absolutely representative of the terroir
differences between the true Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley. It is difficult for us to claim a preference!
The Pivot Vineyard 2008, Estate Bottled Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
Earth, forest floor, streambank (this is a descriptor we use for that humid, mossy, rocky smell from the edge of a cold
stream on a rainy day) raspberry, wild strawberries, black tea, lavender, honey, tobacco. There is a great deal going
on aromatically in this wine. We would place the aromas in the “feminine” camp but the structure of the wine is more
masculine. It is rich yet has plenty of tannin and concentration, with great acidity, wonderful balance and great length.
The wine gets better and better every time we taste it. The structure and aromas remind us of Savoy in a great vintage.
Platt Vineyard 2008, Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
Morello cherry, cassis bud, blackberries, blueberries, anise, rosewater and appleblossom. There is also a lovely refreshing
streak of citrus notes and green tea. This wine has a dense palate with structured tannin but plenty of richness to
support the tannin. A long, integrated finish which slowly blossoms. On the cusp between a more “masculine” or “feminine”
style.
Thieriot Vineyard 2008, Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
Citrus blossom, fresh, sappy raspberry,
candlewax, juniper berry, cola, blueberries, espresso, orange zest and a fresh menthol note. Opens to oriental spices.
This is one of the most structured Thieriot wines ever. It has significant tannins and great acidity. For now the
combination of acidity and tannin gives the wine a linear impression but the mid palate weight is simply hidden.
Everything is there for a great future. Burgundy fans may find this wine stunning.
Summa Vineyard 2008, Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
Green tea, black tea, orange zest, confectionary tones, honey and lavender. This is, as always, the most feminine,
elegant of the wines with a mouth watering acidity and tremendous length. It is so appealing now, you may find it hard
to lay down in the cellar.
Mays Canyon 2008, Russian River Pinot Noir
Cherry, Christmas (spice) cake, espresso bean, tobacco, black pepper and oriental spices.
The wine possesses a great, powerful attack with its signature masculine tannins. Like so many of the other 2008s, the
great acidity also stands out. The 2003 and 2002 versions of this wine are lovely now. The 2003 is in full bloom and
the 2002 is almost to its peak. This version will be better than either of those lovely wines.
The Haven 2008, Estate Bottled Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
Meaty and masculine with blackfruit tones.
Blood orange and raspberries in crème fraiche. Molasses. Violets. This has the finest tannins of all of the bottlings.
While they are significant, they have wonderfully supple texture. This is the most intensely concentrated wine of the
vintage and has an unending finish. As usual, all the elements just need time to come together.
updated 2/3/10
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